


All Bark and Enough Bite

by zebraljb



Series: Christmas Stockings 2019 [6]
Category: Kingsman (Movies)
Genre: Dogs, Future Fic, M/M, Pets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-14
Updated: 2019-01-14
Packaged: 2019-10-10 05:32:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,839
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17420015
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zebraljb/pseuds/zebraljb
Summary: PROMPTS - Merwin, anything with JB and growingup!Daisy, Dean and his gang getting served by Kingsman is always a plus.Merlin is turning 60 so Eggsy plans a getaway to Scotland.  Michelle and 12-year-old Daisy move in to take care of their five dogs...but it's the dogs who end up taking care of Daisy.





	All Bark and Enough Bite

**Author's Note:**

  * For [samebirthdaygirl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/samebirthdaygirl/gifts).



ALL BARK AND ENOUGH BITE

“What is this?” Merlin stares at the envelope on the table.

“It’s yer birthday gift, babe.” Eggsy leans across the table and kisses him a few times. “Had some icing in tha corner of yer mouth,” he says with a sly grin. “Mmm.”

“You’re ridiculous.” But Merlin can’t help but smile back.

“So, yeah, birthday gift. Open it.”

“Ye already…”

“Bought ya a new jumper, made yer cake, made ya dinner. Yeah, I know. I was there. But this is yer real gift.”

Merlin slowly opens the envelope and stares at the paperwork inside. “A fortnight in Scotland? Lad, I cannae take that much time away.”

“Hamish McNair,” Eggsy snaps. “Yeah, ya fuckin’ can. Ya don’t turn sixty every day. Arthur said name tha time an’ ya can take a holiday. He’s said it quite often, actually.”

“Harry just wants me out of his hair,” Merlin retorts. “And this is quite insane, Eggsy.”

“Babe.” Eggsy moves over to sit next to him. “I know ya don’t like thinking about it, but yer turnin’ sixty. We’ve been together ten years. Neither of us is gettin’ any younger, an’ our jobs take a toll. I want us ta travel while we still can...travel that got nothin’ ta do with work.”

“We cannae possibly go away for fourteen days. We have responsibilities.” Merlin points across the room.

Eggsy slowly turns and looks at the five dogs sitting in a neat line. Tiny JB, showing his age around his muzzle, beagle Bubbles, mutt Isaiah, whippet Ladybelle, and German Shepherd Freddie. “I already worked it out.” Eggsy swears JB winks at him encouragingly. “Mum an’ Daisy will move in here for that fortnight. They’ll watch tha house, take care of the dogs.”

“We cannae ask them to…”

“Already done, Hamish.”

“Ye went behind my back,” Merlin says accusingly.

“Mum an’ Daisy love the dogs, they like our house, and most important…they love you.” Eggsy swallows hard. “Yer practically the Da Daisy never had, ya know that, right, babe? Always been there for her, fer Mum…fer me. Ya deserve a special trip…an’ I really need that time away with ya.” Eggsy runs a hand through his hair, suddenly exhausted. “If ya really don’t wanna go, we won’t, but…”

“Lad.” Merlin reaches out his hand and Eggsy takes it. Merlin walks him around to straddle his lap, as if Eggsy’s still a young man in his twenties. He puts his arms around Eggsy and holds him close. “Leannan,” he murmurs against Eggsy’s neck, and continues to whisper Gaelic phrases against his skin. Eggsy still doesn’t know what they mean, but he can feel the emotion behind them. “Ye are too good to an old man.”

“Find me an old man an’ I’ll be good ta him. Fer right now, though, I’m happy as fuck bein’ good ta you.” Eggsy runs his hands over the back of Merlin’s head. “Love ya, idiot.”

“I love ye, my Eggsy, my core, my joy.” Eggsy blinks back tears. Merlin is rarely romantic and emotional like this. “Thank ye for planning all this. Of course we will go on your trip, and I’m very pleased your family has agreed to help us.”

“Yer family, too,” Eggsy reminds him and Merlin smiles against his skin.

 

“All right, everyone, pay attention.” Merlin paces back and forth in front of the dogs, who sit attentively and follow his movements with a slight turn of their heads. Eggsy leans in the doorway and grins. Daisy rolls her eyes and Michelle looks on with amusement. “Daddy and Da will be gone for a few days. Ye are to obey Grandma and Daisy without question. Is that understood?” JB pants. Bubbles scratches her ear. Isaiah whines a bit. Ladybelle daintily licks her paw, and Freddie stands at attention, although his ears perk up at the word “Grandma.” He has formed a special attachment to Michelle, almost as if he knows how broken she’s been on the inside and that she sometimes still needs a protector. “If there are any accidents…if anything is broken? I will hear of it and it willnae go well for ye.” Merlin stops and points at each of them. “No treats for a MONTH.” They whimper as one. “Now.” He carefully gets to his knees. “Come say goodbye.” He’s buried under a pile of paws and ears.

“Ya’d think we was goin’ away forever,” Eggsy says, although he quickly picks JB out of the pile to hug him. “Keep an eye on him, Flower, all right?” Eggsy murmurs to Daisy. “He’s gettin’ a bit slow…think he might be losin’ his hearin’ in one ear.”

“I’ll take good care of him,” she promises. 

“That’s my girl.” Eggsy hugs her. “Gettin’ so big. Jesus, Daisy.”

“Almost thirteen,” she points out.

“Fuck,” Eggsy groans.

“Language,” Michelle says automatically, as if he’s five instead of thirty-five.

“Thanks again, Mum.” He hugs her and puts down JB. 

“You two have a wonderful time,” Michelle says, hugging Merlin once he’s back on his feet.

“Thank you, Michelle.” Merlin turns to the dogs. 

“No. Bags are in tha cab. Leaving now.” Eggsy takes Merlin’s arm and almost drags him out the door.

 

“Daisy, come on! You need to take the dogs out once more before we go!” Michelle yells up the stairs.

“Coming!” Daisy yells back. She quickly yanks up the huge duvet and straightens it before leaving the master bedroom, tying her hair in a ponytail as she goes. She’d tried to give her mother the large room but Michelle refused, stating that she felt weird sleeping in her son’s “marital bed.” Daisy didn’t care what kind of bed it was or what was done in it. She’d been snuggling in that bed for as long as she could remember. The middle of the night when she’d had a nightmare…Saturday mornings when she cuddled between them for hours before they finally woke up. She was always welcome to creep in and snuggle between her big brother and his husband.

She thunders down the stairs and hurries into the kitchen. “Lord…why they needed five dogs I’ll never know,” Michelle says as she fills her travel mug with tea.

“JB was Eggsy’s, Isaiah was Merlin’s. Bubbles was a Kingsman dog, Ladybelle was a rescue, and…” Daisy blinks. “I’ve never really learned where Freddie came from.”

“Perhaps we don’t want to know,” Michelle says.

Daisy herds the dogs out into the garden one last time. “You guys be good, okay?” She begs. “You’ve been great so far, only one accident.” She looks at Ladybelle, who has the decency to hide her face. “Yer Da and Daddy will be home tomorrow.” She hurries them back into the house and kisses each one. “Love you.”

“Come on, Daisy!” Michelle calls. “Now, don’t forget, come home right after school and take them for a walk. It’s a nice day, and they’d probably love to be out after all the rain we’ve had.”

“Yes, Mum,” Daisy says with a sigh. “You’ve told me that twice already today. I’m not a kid.”

“Of course yer not,” Michelle says, rolling her eyes. 

The day can’t go fast enough for Daisy. She loves when she’s allowed to spend time alone with the dogs. She thinks maybe someday she’d like to be a dog walker, or maybe even a veterinarian. She knows that kind of education is expensive, so she doesn’t mention it to her mother. In her heart of hearts, however, she knows that if she’d ever tell Eggsy or especially Merlin about it, they’d fund her dream in a heartbeat.

She lets herself in the house and is greeted by joyful barking. “C’mon, you lot.” She gets them out into the yard, where they gratefully wee in their favorite places. “Ready for walkies?” Bubbles and Isaiah yip joyfully, prancing around the yard. JB, Freddie and Ladybelle follow her into the house at a more sedate pace. She carefully hooks their special leash to each of their collars. She knows that someone her size normally wouldn’t be able to walk five dogs at once, especially larger dogs like Ladybelle and Freddie, but they’ve known her for a long time and easily obey her. JB and Freddie always manage to organize the others, and Daisy knows she has nothing to worry about. “All right then.” She shoves the poo bags into her pockets and grabs the key. “Let’s go.”

They eagerly go trotting down the pavement, although JB only makes it to the next street before he starts panting and hanging back. “Figured this would happen,” she says. “Yer Daddy says ta do this for you.” She picks him up and snuggles him into the front of her coat. JB licks her chin and looks out at the world over the zipper.

Bubbles whines and pulls back, watching a cat run up a tree. Freddie gives a sharp bark and she moves back into place. Ladybelle stops to scratch her ear and Daisy almost trips over her. “Oi, Belle, be careful, huh? A little warning would be nice.” Daisy stops walking and reorganizes the leashes, which have gotten tangled and twisted. She actually has to lift Bubbles up and over and she laughs as she does.

“Ya sure look like yer mum when ya laugh, girl.”

Daisy slowly stands up and looks at the stranger in front of her on the pavement. The dogs were so focused on the way she was untangling their leashes that they hadn’t warned her. “I’m sorry?”

“Ya look like yer mum. Except maybe the eyes.” The man is of average height but solid. His hair is short and grey and his nose is thick and red. He has two men with him, about the same height and the same looks. “Got yer da’s eyes, dontcha?”

“I wouldn’t know, sir. If you’ll excuse me, I have to get home.” Daisy stands firm and remembers what Eggsy’s taught her. You never show fear to an attacker, but you do your best to distract them until you can find a way to safety.

“C’mon, love. Is this any way ta greet yer long lost da?”

Daisy stares at him. “You ain’t my da. My da’s dead. Mum told me.”

The man’s face turns as red as his nose. “She did, did she? Stupid bitch.”

“Oi, don’t be talking about my mum that way!” 

The man grabs her arm. “Well, maybe if she didn’t go tellin’ ya lies, I wouldn’t hafta.”

“C’mon, Dean…the brat’s not worth it,” one of his friends says.

The man, Dean, apparently, doesn’t let go. “Been a long time since I seen my little girl. Think I deserve a chat.”

“Let me go!” Daisy struggles but the man doesn’t release her arm. In her fear she drops the leash and the dogs start barking.

“I said we’re gonna chat, love.” Dean grabs her by both arms and starts pulling her away.

JB jumps from Daisy’s chest and bites Dean on the arm. Dean yelps in shock and releases her, and Daisy goes bumping to the ground. JB falls to the ground as well and bites Dean in the shin. He grabs his leg and hops and JB bites the other leg. Dean falls to the ground and JB and Bubbles both jump on his chest, barking and growling.

“What tha fuck? C’mon, Dean!” The second man yells. Freddie growls menacingly and advances toward him. The man turns to run but falls over Dean and lands on the ground next to him. Ladybelle runs over and stands at his chest, pawing at his face with her dainty feet and claws. The man yells and tries to cover his face but she bites his forearm before clawing some more. The first man stares at the dogs, eyes wide with fear. Freddie slowly creeps toward him, growling all the while. Isaiah stands behind him so the man tumbles over him, and then gets in his face and starts barking loudly.

“Fuck, Dean, ya ain’t said nothin’ about attack dogs!” The first man shrieks.

“They ain’t got dogs at their house!” Dean yells back. “I watch ‘em all tha time!” He yells with pain as JB jumps on his groin as hard as he can.

“Come on…come!” Daisy hisses. The dogs immediately obey and she grabs the leash. She tucks JB back up into her coat and breaks into a run. The dogs easily keep up with her and she’s slamming through the front door ten minutes later.

“Daisy, I told ya not to slam the door!” Michelle yells, still in her coat and carrying her bag. “What…Daisy!”

Daisy starts to sob, her entire body shaking. “Mummy.” She throws herself into her mother’s arms. The dogs immediately crowd around her legs and whimper.

 

“Tha suitcase wouldn’t BE that heavy, babe, if ya didn’t buy so many things fer Daisy an’ Mum,” Eggsy says as he unlocks the front door.

“They’ve been looking after our dogs and our home. The least we can do is…” Merlin freezes just behind Eggsy. “Why is the television on?”

“Mum?” Eggsy calls.

“Shhh,” Michelle says, hurrying into the front hall. “Welcome home.”

“Thanks,” Eggsy says absently. “Why ain’t ya at work?”

“I called out. Daisy needed to stay home from school today.”

“Is the lass sick?” Merlin asks worriedly. “Shall we call a doctor?”

“No. She ain’t sick, and she don’t need a doctor.” Michelle takes a deep breath. “I need you not to go ballistic.”

Eggsy’s mouth goes dry. “What happened to my flower, Mum?”

“She…” He’s shocked to see tears start to creep down Michelle’s cheeks. “She took tha dogs fer a walk after school yesterday…and…and…”

“Mum?”

“Michelle.” Merlin puts his hands on her arms and gently strokes them. “Please calm down. It’s all right. Whatever it is, we can fix it.”

“I fucking hope so,” Michelle snarls.

“Mum!” Eggsy says in astonishment.

“She saw Dean, Eggsy!” Michelle yells in a whisper. “He grabbed her, tried to take her. He tried to take my baby.”

“Wot?” Eggsy gasps.

“He an’ his cronies stopped her on the street yesterday…told her he was her da and wanted ta talk to her. An’ he grabbed her.”

“How did she get away?” Eggsy asks, frozen in place. Merlin puts his arm around Michelle and pulls her close.

“Yer dogs…they attacked three men.”

“Three men?” Eggsy and Merlin say together.

“That’s what she says. I thought he was gone. I thought he wasn’t ever gonna…”

“Michelle.” Merlin pulls away and looks into her eyes. “Trust me when I tell ye this will be taken care of. Do not ask any questions, but believe it to be true.”

Michelle slowly nods. She’s known for a long time that her son, his husband, and their best friend aren’t really tailors. “All right.”

“Where is she?” Eggsy asks. 

“Upstairs in yer bed. She had nightmares last night. I let her stay home from school.”

Eggsy starts up the steps without another word, Merlin at his heels. They stop short in the doorway of their bedroom. Daisy is asleep in the middle of the large bed, with JB curled around her head on the pillows. Her arms are around Bubbles and Isaiah, with each dog’s head on her shoulder. Ladybelle is gracefully curled up in a ball between her feet, and Freddie is laying with his head across her lap, facing the door. His eyes open and his ears perk up. “Shh, Freddie,” Eggsy whispers. It’s useless, as the other dogs immediately perk up when they hear their master’s voice. Surprisingly enough, they don’t leave the bed, just pant happily and twitch their ears.

Daisy’s eyes flutter open. “Eggsy! Merlin!”

“Dinnae move, lass. Ye look far too comfortable.” Merlin scratches behind Bubbles’ ear. 

“Mummy told ya?” Daisy whispers. Eggsy nods.

“I’m so sorry, flower. We didn’t know…we thought he was gone.”

“Mummy said he was dead.”

“He was, to us. She divorced him and we never heard from him after V-Day.”

“They were so brave.” Daisy pets Freddie’s head. “They jumped on those men…they were vicious and wonderful.”

“That’s because they love ye, lass,” Merlin says quietly. “They love ye and want to protect ye no matter what.”

“I promise, Daisy, this will never happen again. Swear down,” Eggsy says solemnly. 

“Aye, Daisy. Ye willnae have to worry about those men ever again.” Something in Merlin’s eyes makes Daisy stay quiet, simply nodding up at him.

“You know, our bags are a lot heavier than they were before we left,” Eggsy comments. “Maybe that’s cuz there are a few gifts for you. Will yer bodyguards let you up long enough ta come see?”

Daisy giggles. “I think so.” 

“Come, ladies and gentlemen. I believe some treats are in order,” Merlin says.

The dogs rise as one and hurry from the room. Eggsy helps Daisy out of bed and hugs her, and they all go downstairs after the dogs.


End file.
